Chapter 2 Making Organizational Shifts
The major shifts from traditional education to competency-based learning really speak to the systemic nature of change. Each of these have several dimensions which we will be examining, discussing and reflecting upon:
The organizational shifts, the first of the three major shifts, are often overlooked in the planning for CBE transformation but they are foundational to your success in moving forward.
As you can see, the three major shifts mesh like finely tuned gears. For that reason, planning for your school's transformation is not linear. The organizational shifts are necessary for successful shifts in teaching and learning and shifting to student-centered classrooms. What drives the gears? To engage each of the gears, four drivers should be kept in mind. Being mindful of these drivers is especially important as you and your team are faced with planning for teaching and learning changes in response to COVID-19.
Question for reflection:
Q2.1. Reflecting on the shifts in moving to CBE, how will you use your time, talent, technology, and resources differently?
MAKING ORGANIZATIONAL SHIFTS IN POLICY, LEADERSHIP, PROFESSIONAL CULTURE, AND PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
POLICY:
Local policies regarding assessment and in support of your new profile of your graduate will be necessary. A close eye on equity during the policy scan is essential. CBE TOOL 2 will be helpful for your team to walk through in developing your local assessment philosophy and establishing supportive policies for CBE assessments.
Most grading policies will need close examination. Your local assessment philosophy and supportive policies should evolve a Holistic Proficiency Scale that will provide fair, reliable, and valid criteria on which to communicate student learning. Work in the area of grading goes hand in hand with powerful performance assessment. Rich professional learning in the area of assessment literacy must be foundational to any changes in grading at the policy level.
Leadership:
As you move beyond your traditional school organizational structures, it is incumbent that you consider how your leadership roles within your organization will change. Roles and responsibilities will change in support of meeting students where they are and supporting them with opportunities for success. The role of leadership is developing a shared vision for the work, strengthening strong community bonds, and supporting a positive professional and learning culture are new roles for leaders.
Question for reflection:
Q2.2. Who are the CBE leaders in your school/district? What new roles would you like to create as you move forward?
Professional Culture:
Moving to learner-centered teaching strategies, new approaches to assessment and grading, and understanding the competency framework is learning that is done by each teacher based on what she or he knows, current practices, and what may need to be learned. And, as with most learning, it should be socialized by teachers working together collaboratively. This socialized work environment creates a positive professional culture that builds trust and amplifies the work at hand. The work of moving to and supporting CBE requires that your organization support this professional with the time and resources for teachers to work collaboratively within the school day.
Question for reflection:
Q2.3. When and how do teachers and leaders engage in reflection? How do colleagues know what people are thinking and feeling as systems move through stages of transitions?
Professional learning:
We must recognize that teachers are also learners and will need to explore new strategies and examples with their colleagues as they create a profile of the graduate and “reset” their thinking on the best way to “cover” curriculum in a CB school. Much like our students, when we ask our teachers to own their learning and we give them the time, resources, and guidance, they will own it. Teams of teachers or individual teachers can customize their professional learning, creating their own learning progression in many CBE-related topics that include the following:
• Personalized learning
• Competency-based learning
• Deeper learning
• Tech-enabled learning
• Learner agency
• Assessment for learning
• Broader definition of success
• Safe and supportive environments
• Using data
• Powerful planning
How do we engage all staff in new learning? If school leaders are serious in creating the professional environment to provide teachers both the time and risk-free environment, schedules need to change. Lack of time for learning and collaboration is a real barrier to this work and one that requires courage from administrators to lead this shift—moving from centralized, one-size-fits-all adult learning to a more powerful accelerator in how we ask the entire system to become learner-centered.
Consider the resources below in planning rich professional learning to support your work:
Bales, S. (2010). Framing education reform: A frameworks message memo. http://www.frameworksinstitute.org/assets/files/PDF_Education/education_message_memo.pdf.
Burris, C. C., & Garrity, D. T. (2008). Detracking for excellence and equity. ASCD.
Duty, L., & Kern, T. (2014). So you think you want to innovate. www.gettingsmart.com/ 2014/10/think-think-want-innovate. Beginning the innovation process can be overwhelming. This tool allows your leadership team to self-assess on a variety of topics to help clear your way forward with focus.
Elmore, R. F. (2004). School reform from the inside out: Policy, practice, and performance. Harvard Education Press.
Learn Next (www.2revolutions.net/opencontent) is an online professional resource library designed by a consortium of organizations that includes all topics in competency-based learning. All resources are open and free of cost.
Learning Commons (www.app.learning-commons.org) is a resource that can be used for teachers to learn either as part of their collaborative learning time or even independently to accelerate professional learning. Here, educators can create their own customized playlist learning activities that provide “just in time” customized learning opportunities.
Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) and 2Revolutions have partnered in designing a Masters/Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study program in CBE. This program is unique in that it is a degree program in CBE that itself is competency-based by design. School districts wishing to acquire additional information can contact Adam Rubin of 2Revolutions at adam@2Revolutions.net.
Question for reflection:
Q2.4. What would your school look like if it were learner-centered for student and adult learners?
